The Duke's Son
by Lazarus Saturday
Summary: All Darren Sirovsky had ever wanted to be was a member of the International Police. Until one day, when dark forces gather, and something very, very bad happens to his father, and it's a race across Hoenn to save the world. Contains cameo ships. Brother novel to "Under the Skies of Hoenn" by Kryurii.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The wind carried with it the salt of the sea, which was lapping onto the beaches of Solara Island. The location of the island itself was amazingly remote; it was just off Ever Grande City, shielded by the bulk of the gigantic rock from the rest of Hoenn. None who had come to take the League challenge ever saw it, since their focus had always been the Elite Four and the Champion.

That was the reason the Duke of Colsath had built his summer mansion on Solara. The Duke was a private man, and did not appear in the public very often. There were rumors of him being a Ghost during the war in Unova, but none had been confirmed.

The Duke's ship was a sleek, silvery-blue yacht that ran on magnetohydrodynamics, requiring almost no fuel to sail.

On the deck were two figures, staring at Solara for the first time. Darren Sirovsky put an arm around his sister. "Have you been here before?" he asked, eyes not leaving the glamourous sight of the island, with its fringe of wavy palm trees, and crystal blue waters.

"No. Father's never had the time," Charlotte replied, taking in the grey mansion in the centre, and the river that cut the Island nearly into two.

Something appeared on the horizon, from beyond the island. As it drew near Darren could see it was a white private jet, emblazoned with an insignia he didn't recognise. Since when did jets fly over this area? he asked himself, and concluded that there might in fact be a flight path.

The yacht dropped his brass anchor at the docks, and the crewmen extended a gangway for the two siblings.

Darren walked down to the dock to meet Lt. Surge, Vermillion City's former Gym leader and ex-mentor of Darren's oldest brother, Abel. "Good morning, Lieutenant."

Surge gave him a smack on the back. "Where's your father? I heard he was coming."

"He's in Nimbasa, selling some tech the the people at the amusement park."

"Nimbasa City?" exclaimed Surge, smiling in delight. "I remember going there in my Gym leader days. Tell me, have you ever met her?"

"Who?"

"Elesa, of course! I wonder if she remembers me..." Surge saw Charlotte and beamed again, forgetting Darren. "So, how's your Gyarados?"

Charlotte's hand went to the ball in her pocket. "He's fine. Your training worked, though."

"Glad to hear that. Now, shall we get going?" Surge ushered them into the SUV.

While the chauffeur drive up the winding road to the mansion, Charlotte recalled her battle with the Sinnoh Elite Four, and her losing to the Champion. "Maybe next time I'll take the tournament instead."

Surge nodded. "It's best to avoid the E4. Arceus knows how long they've been training. These days it's damn near impossible to beat them."

"What about the other leagues?" asked Darren, out of curiosity.

"At Indigo Plateau there are so many people you can guarantee someone there is better than you. As for Ever Grande, I don't think anyone has ever gotten past Drake. And Drake's really old."

The car hit a bump on the road and shook, causing Surge to topple forward. "We gotta get this road repaired sometime."

Darren looked outside at the road. It was dotted with potholes and little bumps, in addition to the winding. "I'll tell Father."

Charlotte brought out her Pokedex, a grey-green one with her parents' company logo on the back. "I've been meaning to ask you, Lieutenant, about a certain Pokemon I've seen, but does register on the Dex?"

Darren turned his attention away from the two, searching for any sign of Pokemon in the dense forest. He caught a flash of blue, but it disappeared quickly into a bush.

Just then, it began raining.

"No trek today, then?" Charlotte sounded disappointed.

"Sorry kids, weather here's unpredictable. I should get a Castform someday." Surge scratched his head. "I just wish it had an electric form during thunderstorms."

The SUV pulled up in front of the gate, and the chauffeur radioed the housing staff to let them in. The black iron bars swung open, and the car rolled inside to stop at the entrance,.

Now shielded from the rain by a balcony, the trio walk inside.

Darren gasped. Charlotte stood wide-eyed, hand over her mouth.

The main atrium was at least twenty by twenty metres, with a symmetrical pair of curved stairs that led up to the second floor landing. The walls were covered in deep red wallpaper, with golden lamps sticking out at intervals. The ceiling did not have a chandelier, but instead glowed with purple light from a Chandelure. The pokemon opened its eyes to see the three new arrivals.

Darren walked around the room, examining the statue of Reshiram in the centre, and then opening a door to the left of the atrium. He found himself stepping into a kitchen, where a young woman was, along with her Combusken, cooking quite a large meal.

Surge appeared behind Darren. "I'm afraid the Duke will not be joining us today, Alice. Don't make too much."

Alice smiled and nodded, then turned on Darren. "Hello, Master Sirovsky!"

"Um...hi."

"I'm Alice, the chef, and this is Kicker," she said, pointing to her Combusken. "Watch." She grabbed a carrot and threw it towards Kicker, who spun and kicked it. The carrot landed in a boiling pot, and then fell to pieces.

"That's...nice. What are we having for lunch?"

"Roast Magikarp with leek, Stantler steaks and stewed Relicanth in Pecha." She waved at the row of dishes on the counter.

_Mmm...that Magikarp looks nice_, he thought.

Surge pulled him out of the kitchen. "You want a tour of the house?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Wilson!" Surge called at the top of his lungs, making the household Chandelure wake up again and wobble slightly in the air.

A man with greying hair and pencil moustache appeared on the second floor landing, clutching the tube of a vacuum cleaner. "What is it?"

"Show the kids around." Surge pointed to the Sirovskys.

"Alright." Wilson disappeared into the heart of the house, and came back without the vacuum cleaner. "Follow me."

Darren and Charlotte ran up the stairs to meet him. The landing led to a corridor lit like the atrium. Four doors led to four different rooms.

"These are the bedrooms. This one is your brother Abel's, this one is Bainbridge's - not that he comes often - and the other two should be yours. Put your stuff in the rooms and meet me downstairs." Wilson walked down the steps.

"Well?" Charlotte looked at Darren. "I'll take this one." She entered the door on the left.

Darren opened the door opposite. The room was huge. About eight metres in length and five metres in width, it sported a Mareep-fur couch, a flat-screen TV, a wardrobe, a four-poster bed, a work desk and a pokemon transfer system. A door led to the bathroom.

His bag was already inside the room, but hadn't been unpacked. Darren opened it up, and began sorting his clothes into the wardrobe. He paused when he saw the envelope containing his International Police exam results. He grabbed it and sat at the desk. _This is it_, he _thought, moment of truth._

"Hello?" Darren dropped the envelope unopened. Charlotte stood in his doorway. "Wilson's waiting."

"Okay. Let's go." Darren got up and followed her out of the room, casting a glance back at the package that laid on his desk.

"And this is the library!" exclaimed the housekeeper as he showed them a building separate from their mansion, spaced out by a huge courtyard.

"That is really big," Charlotte said, nodding.

"Might spend tomorrow in there." Darren noticed movement in the windows. "Is somebody in there?"

"Other than Hill, there should only be his ghost pokemon. They keep the place tidy." Wilson clapped loudly. "And now, the Lake!"

Past the library was a large area of grassland with a drainage basin smack in the centre, beside a steep mountain. A docks had been built on one side, containing many fishing boats but otherwise deserted.

"If you want to catch some water pokemons, feel free. I usually help Alice get the Magikarps and Relicanths. Fishing rods are in the boathouse." Wilson checked his golden watch. "Ah, it's time for lunch. This is the end of the tour, anyway. If you get lost inside the house, there's a bell in every room. Ring it and I'll come." Wilson ran off towards the house.

Darren turned to Charlotte. "What now?"

Charlotte followed Wilson back to the house. "Enjoy lunch."

Darren nodded. "I'm going to take a look at the library." He climbed the marble steps that led to the doors. He pushed the heavy oak slabs open.

Directly in of the door was a u-shaped counter, with a man sitting and reading. He looked up when Darren entered. "You must be master Sirovsky!" He held out a hand. "Gordon Hill. Librarian and ghost type expert."

He shook it, and looked around at the library. "How do you catalogue all this?"

"Ghastly helps." The gas-like ghost materialised next to him. He handed the book he was reading to the pokemon, and Darren saw it was _Morty's Guide to the Caring of Ghost Pokemon_. Ghastly vanished. "As you can see, they have longer memories than us humans."

"Can I take a look around?"

"Of course! Borrow books as you please, just don't damage any of them." Hill then picked another book from the shelf behind him and started reading again.

Darren walked to the left, and spotted a map. _Damn, this place is huge_. There were coloured lines on the floor, to ensure that nobody got lost.

The shelves were surprisingly clean, so Darren guessed that the ghosts must do clean up as well.

_Bzzt._

Darren turned, searching for the source of the noise. He walked into an open area, with a metal circle set into the wooden floor. But there was something else.

A man in a blue jacket, styled similar to the coats of the Subway bosses he had seen on the television, stood with his back to Darren. Then he - his image - buzzed and he was gone. _A hologram?_

"Master Sirovsky!" came Alice's voice. "It's lunchtime, and everyone's waiting for you. Don't make me have to drag you all the way-"

"Alright! I'm going!" When Darren ran for the entrance, he did not even look back once.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"I'm going to the library," Darren told his sister the next day.

"So you're not joining me on the boat trip? And Surge's trek?"

"This 18-year-old needs some peace." Darren pointed to himself. "You can go sail or whatever."

Charlotte turned the corner and was gone. Darren looked inside his room, at the envelope still on his desk, without a mark on it. I'll open you later.

He closed the door. Darren proceeded down the courtyard and towards the library. There were shadows moving behind the thin curtained windows again, but his objective weren't the ghosts; it was the hologram he had seen the day before.

"Ah, Darren!" Hill was the only person other than Charlotte and Surge who called him by his real name - his attempts to persuade Alice and Wilson ended in with them ignoring his protests completely. "What brings you here today?"

"Mr. Hill, do you know the metal circle in the centre of the building?"

Hill's eyes narrowed and he removed his feet from the tabletop. "You've seen the apparition, haven't you?"

"I'm thinking hologram."

"No, Darren. I've run a full scan of it. There are no emitters on that thing; it can't project any light whatsoever. I'm thinking its a ghost of some kind. But you can't throw a pokeball at it." He got to his feet, and led Darren to the place he had seen the image before,

Several of Hill's ghosts had gathered around the circle in the floor, waiting intently. Darren saw two Gengars, a Drifloon, a Dusclops, several Ghastlys and an uncountable number of Misdreavus. This guy is obsessed, he realised.

Hill looked at his watch, softly counting backwards, "Four...three...two...one..."

The image of the man in the coat flickered into existence once again. He man seemed to be looking straight at Darren, but did not show any signs of recognition.

"Dusk, show Mr. Sirovsky here please," Hill said to the Dusclops.

Dusk walked into the circle. As soon as its foot touched the wood inside the metal ring, the pokemon shook violently, smoking, and was thrown backwards, unconscious.

"While it's on, nothing gets in." Hill recalled Dusk using a Ghost ball - one that Darren's father personally designed - and dismissed his spirits.

"Have you tried taking the ring out from the floor?"

"I did, and it nearly killed me. Electric shock like you just saw."

Darren pondered on the importance of the object for a while. "Maybe it's a gateway to another dimension? Like, Giratina's?"

Hill shook his head. "Men have tried and failed numerous times. Even InfiniCorp did once, and they ended up destroying the research facility. Your father was very disappointed at that."

"You used to work with my father?"

Hill began heading back to the entrance. "I was with Silph Co. first, then your father fished me out. Guess who invented the Silph Scope?"

"Is that why you have so many ghosts?"

"Actually, I love ghosts because they can move through walls, do all the menial tasks for me. I don't need anyone else to help run the library. And, now, I can even talk to them. With this." Hill showed arren a small cylindrical object with domed ends, made from smooth metal. "You tune it to the frequency of your mind and you can hear them."

"And how exactly do I know the frequency of my mind?"

"Well, that's what I spend half a year-" Hill stopped at the sight of somebody resting in his chair.

"If that weren't my son I'd have you gutted and strung round the island, Gordon," said the Duke, his grin making it hard for Darren to see whether he was joking or not.

"Father, Surge is looking for you. He has been all morning."

"Is he now?" The Duke got up and walked away, but not before turning back to Hill. "I think Darren needs one of those." And he was gone.

"Here," Hill placed something in Darren's hand. "If your father wants you to have one, then it's probably best for you."

Darren brought the round object into the light, and found it was a Ghost Ball. He tossed it upwards, releasing a Ghastly. "Well, hello there."

* * *

Charlotte was still trying to start the boat's motor when Darren appeared behind her. "I thought you weren't coming."

"The library was dull. Who knew Hill hated fiction?"

"Hill?"

"The librarian. He's a nice guy. Gave this." Darren threw the ball at the grass, Ghastly appearing in the morning air. "I haven't named him yet."

"Don't ask me," replied Charlotte, successfully starting the onboard engine. "It's your pokemon."

Darren shook his head, sighing. "I'll never be able to think of one. Did you see father?"

"He's here?" Charlotte looked at him in confusion. "But I haven't seen an aircraft land...nevermind, he must've come by sea."

The growling of thunder alerted arren to the oncoming rainstorm. "Damn the weather. We need a Castform, electric form or not."

Their boat was ready to launch in less than five minutes, and by then the depression had set in, already showering the siblings with rain. Even though they had not set off the lake itself rocked the boat with waves from the storm, threatening to tip it over its side. Gale-force winds attempted to rip Darren off the deck, but he held onto a railing and kept firm. The sound of engines filled his ears. A white plane passed overhead, this time a bulky passenger plane that seemed undeterred by the chaotic storm. It quickly disappeared into the murky greyness of the clouds. How on earth does someone fly a plane in this condition?

"There's a light!" Charlotte shouted, hardly heard over the sound of waves crashing against their boat's hull. And it was still on the bank.

The dim spot of brightness had gotten closer. Had Wilson or Surge or Alice found them?

The powerful winds died, and the sky was clear once again. The depression had passed over the island. "We must be on the very edge of it," commented Charlotte, wiping her brow and hair of water and the pushing the boat into the lake. The light was nowhere to be seen.

Darren sat down on the wet bench and retrieved a fishing rod from the storage compartment. "Let's see if I can get a Corphish."

The small boat drifted out into the middle of the lake. The water was calm and still, in contrast to the violent thrashing from the depression earlier. A pair of Mudkips swam by, oblivious to Darren and Charlotte in their little boat, heading off to play with their own kind.

Then it hit again. Darren swore as he was almost torn off the bench; the storm had returned with all its fury, as if it were trying to drown the two people on the boat. Winds whipped at them again, sending the boat on a perilous angle, and then died, only to be replaced by another just as strong.

There was another light in the distance, and this time it was getting brighter. Very bright. "You see that?" Darren shouted over the whistling of the winds to Charlotte, who nodded.

The spot of light got brighter, so bright that Darren could see...was that a flame?

The spot suddenly dipped under surface of the lake, gone.

Suddenly and inexplicably, the boat went flying on its side, thrown upwards in the air by a mysterious force. Its two occupants were thrown from it, landing in the turbulent waters, amidst the storm. Their vessel, still in the air, was ripped to shreds by the force of the winds.

"Charlotte!" Darren called out over the lake, seeing no sign of her. "Charlotte!"

Something hit his arm, something warm and soft. Darren turned it over to find the unconscious body of his sister. If he didn't get to shore, they would both drown.

Darren put his hands into her pocket, and came out with Gyarados' pokeball. He threw it, where the monstrous serpent burst from the water.

"Help us!" he shouted, and the snake coiled its body around them, heading towards land.

After what seemed like an hour, they were released onto the soaked bank, with its saturated soil, where Darren finally collapsed from exhaustion.

* * *

"Wake up, Mr. Sirovsky!"

Darren opened his eyes to see Wilson and the Chandelure staring at him.

"Arceus, we thought you died."

"Where's Charlotte? he asked, searching the room for her. He was in his own room. "Is she okay?" He sat up, a little too fast. The world spun. His vision went dark, and colours seemed more vivid.

"She's swallowed a lot of water, but she'll live. Please, lie down." Wilson pushed him down softly, and he fell asleep again.

* * *

"We have a message for Darren Sirovsky," said an unfamiliar voice from outside Darren's own head.

Darren sat up again, not blacking out anymore. In front of him stood Surge, in front of a television switched on. On the screen was a mask with only eyes visible.

"I'm here." Darren stood up, stumbled a little and set himself in front of the screen.

"Then you'd want to see this." The man in the screen stepped back, revealing a horrifying scene.

A woman dressed in black and concealed in mask, stood pointing a long object - a pistol with golding etchings all over it. And at the other end, on his knees and blindfolded, was the Duke.

"Now you do what we say, or your father dies."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"What the hell do you want?" Darren demanded, sweating.

"Simple really," said the man in black. His steel grey eyes gazed infinitely into the camera. "I want all the gym badges."

Surge cut in. "You just kidnapped the Duke. Why not get them yourself?" he sneered.

"I don't like to get my hands dirty. Plus, it'll be entertaining to see the boy do it."

"Sociopath," murmured Surge. "I'll do it," he said to the captor.

He tutted, an annoying sound coming through the speakers. "You step foot anywhere else in this region and he's dead."

"I'll go." Darren limped in front of Surge, eyes locked on the captor's. "The moment I obtain the first badge, my father goes free."

"Not acceptable! I will let your father go once you have all eight badges. Then, meet me in Lilicove city."

"What the hell do you want with the badges? How are they important to you? There's no way you can get into Ever Grande without battle records, you sick bastard!" Darren was shouting now, his throat raw from the effort.

A cackling laugh emanated from the captor's mouth. It sounded like spears of ice through his chest. "I don't intend to. I want those badges within a month. Starting now."

The transmission cut and the screen went black, leaving Darren staring at his own reflection.

Immediately Darren began throwing open his closet, stuffing clothes in the trekking backpack he had meant to use of Surge's trek - not that it mattered now anymore.

Surge grabbed his arm and spun him around. "Darren!"

Darren shook the former Gym leader off and kept stuffing clothes, shoes, anything that was within reach at that point.

Surge grabbed the pack and threw it halfway across the room. "I know your father is being held hostage by a bunch of psychopaths, but GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!" he boomed, sending Darren slumping onto the floor.

Silence enveloped the pair, which was broken by the sound of Wilson opening the door. "Master Sirovsky? Phone call from your brother."

Darrem got to his feet and unsteadily walked out the door. He followed Wilson down the main staircase and into the common room, on the atrium's right. The black and gold telephone was on the table, the receiver slack.

Wilson picked it up and handed it to him.

"Darren here," he said into the telephone.

"My dear brother," came the voice of Bainbridge Sirovsky, the second eldest son of the Duke. "I have terrible news, but in light of the message that was relayed to me by Lieutenant Surge a few seconds ago, it would be better if I told you face-to-face."

"Okay," he could not find the strength to continue, but forced the words from his mouth. "I'm going to Rustboro tomorrow."

"Then we meet there." Bainbridge signed off.

His mind was muddled. Bainbridge never called, and nobody ever knew where he was. The only clue was the job offer that had been left in his bedroom two years ago.

"Here, I packed the bag," Surge strode up behind him, dropping the bag on the common room table.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," said Darren quietly, and he left the room, headed out of the front doors, giving Chandelure one last look.

It was in the middle of the night. The moon was a yellow crescent hanging in the dark blue night sky, and it reminded Darren of a Lunatone, one pokemon he knew he was going to encounter on his journey.

Some quest, he thought, getting into the parked SUV. Surge woke up the chauffeur and told him to drive Darren down to the docks.

Surge rode shotgun, but said nothing on the way down the mountain. All the way, Darren was thinking of loopholes; the man had said to meet him in Lilicove city, but he could not be sure that they were based there. He also knew Abel was in Hoenn somewhere, but the location was a mystery to all members of the family.

Maybe he could request help from Bainbridge when they met.

The SUV stopped at the pier, where their silver-blue yacht was anchored; it sparkled in the moonlight. Ex-Admiral Gerry Beckhoff was slumped in the control room, hat over his face.

"Gerry," called Surge, waking the pilot up. "I need you to get Darren to the Frontier."

"At this time? For what reason?"

While Surge explained, Darren went belowdecks and stowed his backpack in his private quarters. The corridors were pitch-black, as the crew were sleeping. Darren strapped on his Poketch and set the time to Hoenn Regional Standard, to 22:54.

Next, he laid down on the bunk, and brainstormed strategies to take down Roxanne, his first target. His only fault: he had a single pokemon, a ghost type, sure, who would rule out any normal-type attacks, but any rock attacks would easily take out Ghastly, who did not currently have a very high defense.

The lights in the corridor came on, a sign of Gerry starting up the magnetohydrodynamics engine. Surge walked down to Darren and rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Do I look like I have another choice?"

Surge laughed, but this time darkly. "Somebody once told me, you always have a choice, just not the best ones." The former Gym leader walked up to the deck and off the yacht and stood on the wooden platform, sadly staring into the distance.

* * *

The first rays of the sun streamed in through the porthole in Darren's room, waking him to a morning at sea. It was the disadvantage of the special engines; they could go on forever, but only really slowly.

Battle Frontier was slowly coming into view, a dazzling sight of pyramids, towers, and glass buildings that made up the artificial island. Trainers could be seen streaming in and out, the ones exiting waiting inside the hotel lobby for Hoenn's most famous cruise ship, the _S.S. Tidal_.

The Duke's craft glided over the water, drawing the attention of many people on the Frontier and the rapidly approaching cruise ship.

Gerry approached Darren in his room. "You want a distraction?"

He nodded. "That would be nice."

The captain disappeared onto the deck and began shouting at the assembled trainers. "This is the _Invincible_, Duke Colsath's ship! In three minutes, we will be docking, and any trainers with a Silver Pass can take a tour of the ship for free!"

A cheer went up among the trainers, each one throwing their pokemon into the air. The cheering stopped when somebody's Poliwrath was accidentally tossed into the sea.

Darren had launched one of the yacht's more "disposable" motor-propelled inflatable boats over the opposite side, blocked from view by the superstructure.

The vessel hit the water, Darren after it, and he began to make the journey to the Battle Frontier pier.

He stopped the inflatable boat at a small section that was empty except for one young sailor, who was smoking a cigarette absently. He saw Darren and asked if he wanted the boat tied up.

"You can have the boat." Darren dropped a few high-value bank notes into the sailor's hand. "You never saw me."

The sailor took the money and stuffed it in his pocket, nodding at Darren.

Darren continued his trip up to the main dock, and saw that the _Tidal_ had already made port and was loading passengers.

At the ticket counter he bought a first class pass, and got on the ship. He lined up with the other people to have his ticket verified by the guards.

When his turn came, the ticket had no problem, and he advanced into the grand ballroom.

Two shadowy men who had been tracking him ever since he had bought the ticket were moving in from the side of the room, eyes locked on Darren.

They cornered him in a dark corner of the ballroom, between two pillars made from quartz. "Duke Colsath's son?"

"The one and only."

"We've been ordered to take you with us." They grabbed him by the arms.

"This wasn't part of the arrang-" They clasped a hand over his mouth, but it slackened to a louch clang, and both assailants dropped to the floor.

Darren's saviour was a man with a curled moustache who was holding a fire extinguisher he had removed from the wall. "Darren Sirovsky?"

"Yes, and you?"

"Magnus Faraday. I worked with your father during the Unovan Civil War." Magnus held out his hand, covered in a clean white glove.

"You knew my father?"

"Of course! He was one of the best soldiers during that time," Magnus went on as he dragged the unconscious forms of the two men into an alcove, where he dumped them. "I'm a love doctor."

"What?" Darren couldn't believe the guy. How did a soldier ever become a love doctor?

"How else do you think your parents met, young man?" He clapped Darren on the back. "I noticed you're keeping a low profile."

"I don't want anymore stunts from people like those two." He jammed a thumb at the two men Magnus had disposed of.

"No! I mean, has anyone ever told you how handsome you are?"

"Are you gay?"

"No, of course not! Now, let's take a look around. I might be able to find you a girlfriend on this ship just yet." And Darren was dragged away by the blabbering man into the centre of the ballroom.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Stop staring," said Magnus, tapping Darren on the shoulder.

"Well, she's kinda cute," he replied, eyes locked on the brown-haired girl waltzing in the corner of the room." He thought he had seen her before. "Isn't she the champion of Uno-"

Magnus made a shushing noise, and tried to drag Darren away. "That guy looks like he wants to gut you."

Sure enough, a green haired-man was gazing intently at Darren, cold eyes locked on him. "Is that her boyfriend?"

"I heard they're married," muttered Magnus, pushing Darren away from the couple. "Oh, yes!" He reached into his pocket and handed Darren a metal rod not unlike Hill's. "Surge sent this to you. He says it's already tuned."

Darren nodded, then took it and twisted one of the ends. The object hummed, signifying that it had been activated. Darren put it in his pocket and released Ghastly from its pokeball.

_Hello Darren._

"Hello, Ghastly." Darren tried to pet it, but his hand went right through the ghost.

"Maybe you should-" Magnus stopped as he saw the two men they had knocked out three hours ago coming straight at them. "Oh, crap."

Darren pushed Magnus aside. "It's me they want; stay out of this." Darren turned to Ghastly. "Can you possess them?"

The ghost pokemon grinned, baring its fangs, then flew straight into one of the men. He jerked awkwardly, attempting to resist control, but failing. His pupils enlarged, and his spasms ceased completely, leaving his partner to look at him in shock.

The partner, knowing the possessed man was going to attack him any moment now, drew a pistol and fired it three times into the air.

Mass panic and confusion ensued. People ran in all directions looking for a way out of the ballroom. There was screaming and shouting, and the shattering of wine glasses being dropped.

Finally, the room was empty with the exception of the two men, Darren and Magnus.

"I told you to get out." Darren scolded at Magnus.

The one holding the pistol alternated his aim at Darren and his possessed partner, slowly stepping back.

_Let me try something,_ Darren heard Ghastly say.

"Go on," he said.

Ghastly forced the man to move towards his partner, who was shouting, "Stop right there or I'll shoot! I said stop!"

Still the ghost forced the man closer, until the one wielding the gun squeezed his eyes shut and put three rounds into his partner.

Blood dripped slowly, stickly out of the wounds. But the possessed man did not stop walking, grabbing the other man and pushing him back.

Darren followed the two out one of the doors, out onto the deck of the ship, where many passengers and guards stood watching in awe.

Ghastly used his host's body to back the other man against the railing, bending his back over the metal guardrail. And just like that, they jumped overboard. Ghastly ejected itself from the body at the last moment, as a black cloud rising out of the dead man's chest.

_That should get rid of them_. The ghastly looked around to see people gaping in shock.

"Get back here," Darren said sternly and recalled the pokemon with his ghost ball. Magnus was looking pale. "You okay?"

Magnus retched and coughed violently. "What did you just do, kid?" He looked sickly, all the colour drained from his face.

_Wasn't he a soldier?_ thought Darren.

"Come on, Magnus, they'll be fine in the water. Except...well, the one who got shot." Then Darren heard a loud thud, and somebody screamed.

They ran to the source of the noise, to the bow of the ship, just in time to see a woman looking not unlike Magnus; pale, eyes wide with horror. She fainted, and her husband caught her as she fell.

Darren and Magnus looked over the side of the ship to see the arc of white foam trailing into the distance, a sign that the ship had turned starboard recently. But the red streak that coated the newer foam was definitely not natural. The two men had hit the propellers.

Magnus threw up over the side. Two sailors grabbed Darren from behind, twisting his arms behind his back, and dragged him backwards and away from Magnus, who could do nothing but stare at him with pity.

* * *

He didn't know that ship had a brig, but it did. He was sitting in one cell, with a crewman looking at him from behind a bulletproof glass window. The ship had slowed, so as far as Darren could tell, they had reached Petalburg Harbour already.

The cell's door opened. Captain Jack Briney Jr. stepped through, hands on his hips. Darren thought he was a splitting image of his father. "We're going to hand you over to Officer Jenny now."

Darren did not meet his gaze, intently looking at his own leather shoes. "I didn't kill them."

"He's been sayin' that to everything we asked him, Captain," commented the sailor in the window. "Nothin' else."

Darren was silent when the sailors picked him up again, gave him back his pokeball and released to Officer Jenny who was waiting near the gangplank. She snapped a pair of handcuffs around his wrists, and directed him onto the back seat of her motorcycle.

Soon they were driving through Petalburg Forest, the sound drawing attention from the inhabitants.

Out of the corner of his eye, Darren saw a thin white thread shoot out of the bushes, and connect with the front wheel guard of the motorbike. It suddenly went taunt, pulling the bike out of Officer Jenny's control and forcible crashing it into a tree; enough to knock the policewoman out cold.

Darren's eyes traced the thread, but it had been cut off at one hand, which was now hanging out of the bushes. He searched under the motorbike's seat for the keys to his cuffs. After five minutes of struggling to get the key into the tiny lock, he clicked the metal bracelets open.

He ran as fast as he could through the forest, in order to rendezvous with Bainbridge at Rustboro. When he burst out of the dark forest, he was met with blinding sunlight. A road led to his right, over a lake and into Rustboro. All around him trainers were battling their pokemon, shouting commands, with streams of water, fire, and arcs of electricity flying everywhere.

A trainer called to him, and ran over. "You wanna battle?"

Darren brushed off his suit jacket and straightened his backpack. "Sorry, I'm in a hurry to Rustboro."

"The rules say you have to accept the challenge," the trainer said, drawing a pokeball.

"I don't give a crap about the rules." He pushed the trainer aside and continued walking along the road.

The trainer ran and caught up with Darren at the bridge. "I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm Darren. You?"

"Brandon. What's your problem? Why won't you battle me?" He had a sad look upon his face.

Darren stopped in his tracks. "Look, Brandon, I'm just going to meet my brother in Rustboro city for a chat. Now if you don't mind..."

"Can I tag along with you?" He jumped up and down like an excited Growlithe. "Please?"

"How old are you?" Darren asked, scrunching his face at the other boy's efforts.

"Sixteen."

He sighed. "Fine. But if you annoy me anymore I'll feed you to the Sharpedos."

Brandon laughed heartily at that. The truth was, Darren liked him. Not in a gay way, of course, but it would be good to have a friend on the journey with him.

Rustboro loomed ahead. In contrast to twenty years before, it was now a huge, gleaming metropolis of metal skyscrapers, the tallest and shiniest being the one belonging to the Devon Corporation. Despite the development, the people of Hoenn still resented cars, and instead installed a tram service which could be used to travel around the city.

Darren and Brandon got on a tram that headed for the Pokemon Centre. Once they arrived Brandon handed his two pokeballs - a Lotad and a Cascoon, he told Darren - to Nurse Joy and went to relax in the newly-installed game room.

Darren waited for his brother. Soon enough the hulking form that was Bainbridge Sirovsky lumbered in through the front doors, holding a hot dog in one hand and munching into it delightfully.

"Ah, Darren!" he said, walking - no, plodding or waddling was more accurate - towards his brother and giving him a bone-crushing hug. His face then took on a more serious tone. "I'm sorry about father."

"What happened that was so bad you have to tell me face-to-face?" arren asked, dreading news.

"Mother...Mother is not with us anymore."

There was a long, mourning silence. Mother? Dead? Darren could not believe the words. "How?"

"Liver cancer. I'm truly sorry."

Two losses in the space of one day. He was going to make sure it would never happen again. A fire burned inside him like never before, spreading from his chest to his head and limbs, enveloping him in a cocoon of fury.

He was going to save the Duke, no matter what the cost.

And he would stop anybody who opposed him. Beginning with Roxanne, the leader of Rustboro Gym.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Over the course of twenty years, the Rustboro Gym had been renovated at least fifteen times. Currently it was a spacious dome, painted like a mountainside, smack in the middle of Rustboro, sporting a dark interior reminiscent of a cave, and extremely powerful spotlights that illuminated the Gym leader battles. The walls were plated with an intermediate layer of plate steel, which formed a maze populated by trainers eager to battle and train their pokemon.

As gym leaders were bound by rules to limit the strength of their pokemon, Rustboro was a low hurdle for some. Anybody with water pokemon could easily take down the gym; but any who did not faced a rock-hard resistance from Roxanne's Geodude and Nosepass.

Darren now stepped into the dark cave-like atmosphere alongside Brandon, barely illuminated by the dim blue lights mounted on the ceiling. The sliding door entrance wasn't opaque, but was translucent enough to only allow a little light in.

"I hope you get the badge, bro." Brandon patted him on the back.

"Since when was I your 'bro'?" Darren shot back, and then remembering why he had to get the badges, sagged a little. "Oh, right."

The sliding door hissed open, temporarily blinding the two trainers with the sun's glare, reflected off the buildings, and the subsided, revealing Bainbridge, whose large form had blocked the light. "I'm leaving now, Darren." The big man lumbered towards the two. "Get that badge, Darren. For father."

Darren dipped his head, looking down at the floor, thinking about the Duke. He could do this. He was going to crush Roxanne. "When will we meet again, Bainbridge."

The look on his brother's face was grim. "I have a very busy job, Darren. I cannot tell when I will have the time to see you again. Farewell." He walked out the door, this time the two friends having the sense to shield their eyes from the sunlight.

Brandon looked at Darren. "Let's go." He ran off into the darkness, leaving Darren to trail behind.

Darren released Ghastly and followed, albeit at a slower pace. "You think you can do it, Ghastly?" he asked the ghost.

_Likely. Mr. Hill has taught me about Gym Leaders before. Roxanne will not be easy, but I can manage._

Darren nodded. He had just realised how useful the librarian's transmitter was, and made a mental note to thank him when he got back. If he got back. for all he knew, there could be more people like those on the ship. That brought back awful memories, of the read streak in the water, of how much Ghastly had enjoyed tipping the men off the ship.

_He's a ghost pokemon. Liking death is natural_, Darren told himself, but he could not shake the fact that there was something different about his pokemon.

"You there!" somebody shouted, and Darren felt as if his train of thought had just been derailed. "Let's battle!"

Darren took a step back as a young trainer jumped out at him from a hidden alcove in the wall. Then he saw Ghastly. "On second thought, let's not..." He backed into the hidden space, knowing well that his pokemon would be ineffective against the ghost.

The journey through the dark corridors continued without interruption - whether they were busy battling others, or Ghastly scared them, Darren didn't know, but he walked on without regret, to face Roxanne and earn his first badge.

In a wide area in the centre of the gym, the leader stood under a halo of light that poured in through small skylights in the top of the dome. Roxanne was a head taller than Darren, and easily towered over him.

"You've come for a challenge?" asked Roxanne, grabbing a pokeball from her belt.

"Yes." He pointed at Ghastly. "May we begin?"

Roxanne tossed her pokeball, sending out a Geodude that cracked its knuckles and grinned.

Ghastly floated forwards, facing his opponent. _My time to shine._

"Do what you want." Darrem crossed his arms, expectant of his pokemon.

Roxanne had a curious look on her face. "That is indeed a strange strategy."

"I can hear him in my head."

Ghastly flitted into Geodude, possessing it, causing the host pokemon to fly around, trying to get the ghost pokemon out of his head. Darren's pokemon then forced the Geodude to smash itself into the ground headfirst, multiple times, causing it to grow weaker and weaker and finally faint.

"That's a strange way of battling," commented the Gym leader, recalling Geodude and sending out her famous Nosepass. "But I guarantee it won't work again."

"Can't hurt to try." Ghastly dived inside Nosepass, but was suddenly knocked away, dazed. "What the-"

"Power Gem!" Roxanne commanded, and Nosepass quickly charged up a red ball of light in front of it. The light then expanded into a beam, which hit Ghastly full on, knocking it out instantly.

Darren stood with his mouth agape. He hesitantly drew his ghost ball and recalled Ghastly, and sulked away from the stage, ignoring Roxanne, who was trying to tell him something about battling.

After losing for the first time in his life, Darren ran.

* * *

"You sure you're okay?" asked Brandon. The other boy had also suffered a harsh defeat, despite his ownership of a Lotad. "It's okay to lose, you know."

"You don't understand, hissed Darren through his teeth, whilst waiting for Nurse Joy to return with Ghastly.

"Then what's the problem? You can confide in me."

Darren took a deep breath to calm himself. "Alright. Here goes. Just keep your voice down - this part is going to shock you a bit." He composed himself again. "My name is Darren Sirovsky, son of Duke Colsath."

Brandon's eyes went wide. "S-S-S-Sirovsky?" he stammered, going pale. Brandon shook his head. "I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't realise."

"Calm the bloody down, Brandon. True, you're severely annoying, but not so much that I want to sic my Ghastly on you." Darren let out a breath he had been holding for some time. "My father is being held hostage. I don't know by who, but they want me to bring them all eight gym badges in exchange for him. And I only have a month to do it."

"That-that's a lot to do in a month." Brandon bit his lip, thinking hard. "It's possible though. The Maple girl did it in about two weeks."

"Do not compare me to May Maple; she didn't have her father's life on the line when she took the challenge." Seeing Brandon blush, he added, "Please don't tell me you have a crush on her."

Brandon broke into a quiet laugh, cheeks red. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"I've never understood why so many people find girls that attractive. Plus, she's four years older than you."

Brandon scrunched his nose. "You've got to have liked somebody once in your life. I mean, there's no way you can go on living without a girl."

It was Darren's turn to blush as he remembered the girl from the _Tidal_. "You sound like Magnus," he muttered. "I was attracted to somebody once; turned out she was married."

"Shame. Was it the Champion of Unova? Because she's not married."

Darren grabbed Brandon by the collar. "How did you...?"

"You have a lot of competition. Mostly that Team Plasma guy. You know, tall, green haired dude?"

_That sonofabitch_, thought Darren bitterly. Magnus had lied to him about them being married, but he now understood it was to protect him.

Nurse Joy walked in behind them, making Brandon jump. "Your pokemon are fully healed. And I can't help it, but I overheard you two talking about Miss Maple-"

Brandon placed a finger to her lips and made a _shushing_ sound. Nurse Joy gave them their pokemon and returned to her place behind the counter. Brandon handed one of his pokeballs to Darren. "You wanna beat Roxanne?"

"Yes. But you don't have to."

"This is Lotad. Water/Grass type, perfect for dealing with rock types. Take it; he doesn't like me much anyway."

Darren took it gratefully. "I won't forget this." he said, smiling at the latest addition to his tea,. "I'm sure we'll get along,_ bro_."

* * *

"Power Gem!" Roxanne shouted again, her Nosepass blasting a beam of red energy at Ghastly. This time the ghost dodged it, sinking into the floor and rising up behind Roxanne's pokemon.

Darren smiled. "Shadow ball."

Ghastly let loose a dark blob that flew into Nosepass' back, knocking it down to the floor.

"Not so fast." Roxanne put her hands on her hips and ordered Nosepass to get up. The huge rock pokemon lifted itself from the floor, grunting, but fine. "Rick Tomb!"

Pieces of the battleground shattered, and levitated upwards around Ghastly. "Get out of there!" shouted Darren, but it was too late.

The rocks came together, crushing Ghastly, who could not unsolidify in time, and was crushed by the powerful attack.

_Ouch,_ Darren heard Ghastly say just before he collapsed onto the ground. Darren switched him out for Lotad, who stood proud on its four stubby legs, glaring at Nosepass. "Water gun."

A jet of water shot from Lotad's mouth - the very move that Darren had been training his pokemon for accuracy - and hit the slower Nosepass full on, stunning it.

"Razor leaf!" Now that was the move he had dedicated most of his time to. Lotad whipped its lilypad, sending razor sharp leaves whirling in Nosepass' direction.

Roxanne's pokemon took a full hit, was thrown back a few metres and collapsed, not getting back up.

"Yes!" Darren jumped. He didn't know battling felt this fun. ow he had the Stone badge.

When he received the badge, Darren felt as if he could run all the way across Hoenn. But he knew, that deep down inside, he wouldn't have any time to celebrate. He had Brawly of Dewford Gym to beat next.

Brandon was waiting for him outside, standing under the red-and-white umbrella of a hot dog stand, munching nervously on one and awaiting Darren's results.

"I did it!" shouted Darren, practically on cloud nine. He was now one step closer to saving his father.

Brandon gave him a hug. "I knew you could do it."

Spectators were watching the two, until Darren turned and snapped, "We're not gay!", to which they walked away.

Their next stop: Dewford Island.

* * *

The man dressed as a tourist from Kanto snapped a few more pictures of Darren holding his first badge. He adjusted his jacket. Hoenn's cold this time of the year.

As Darren and his friend walked back to Petalburg Port, the fake tourist's hand went to his pocket, removing a phone and pressing the speed dial.

"The Sirovsky boy's got his first badge already. He might be stronger than you think."

"Just make sure he doesn't get too close to the headquarters," came the voice from the other end.

"Yes, sir." He flexed his wrist, and a short sword jutted out from his sleeve. "I'll do anything it takes."


End file.
